


An Apple. Really?

by DreamsAreHardWork



Category: Shadowhunters (TV), The Mortal Instruments (Movies), The Mortal Instruments Series - Cassandra Clare
Genre: Caretaking, Illnesses, M/M, Magic, Poison, Sick Alec, Sickfic, Snow White Elements, Witches
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-29
Updated: 2019-03-29
Packaged: 2019-12-26 03:31:08
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,659
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18274886
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DreamsAreHardWork/pseuds/DreamsAreHardWork
Summary: "Dip the apple in the brew let the sleeping death seep through. Look on the skin the symbol of what lies within, Now turn red to temp snow white to make her hunger for a bite." - Snow White & the Seven Dwarves





	An Apple. Really?

“An apple Alec. Really an apple? A witch we’ve been hunting for weeks hands you an apple as a peace offering and you think ‘Oh yes this is safe. I’ll just take a nice big bite.’ I mean really, I know you haven’t seen many mundane movies but I know we watched Snow White. Like multiple times.”

Alec could only groan in response before bending over further and throwing up for the third time in a span of minutes. He had one hand braced against the brick wall of the alleyway and the other one clutched against his abdomen. He’d managed to remain standing up until now, but the newest bout of illness swept the strength out of his knees for a moment.

He began to sink to the ground, but before his knees could reach the ground his parabatai had grabbed him around the chest and propped him up.

“All right, time to sit down I think.”

The next thing Alec knee Jace had walked him back a few steps and was gently lowering him to the ground so that he was leaning against the wall opposite from where he had thrown up. 

Shivering aggressively from the chill of what had previously been a warm spring day in New York City. Alec spat off to the side before licking his lips. What he wouldn’t give to have some water to rinse the taste of sick out of his mouth. 

As if he’d read his mind Jace had already pulled a bottle of water out of the slim black bag that he wore on his back. He cracked the lid off before gently helping Alec to take a couple of sips.

The cool water felt like heaven going down his throat. Sighing Alec leaned his head back against the wall. 

“The witch?”

“She vanished as soon as you took that bite. No doubt she knew exactly how it would affect you, and she also must have known that you wouldn’t be out hunting alone.”

Hissing in frustration Alec cursed his momentary lack of judgement. In his defense the witch had spelled herself to look like a little girl, dressed in a Girl Scout uniform she had been handing out apples to everyone she met on the street. He chalked up the strange behavior to a unknown mundane custom and had bit into the red apple she’d offered him before it even occurred to him that she shouldn’t have been able to see past his glamour.

“Don’t worry your pretty little head my dear Shadowhunter. Once I’ve figured out what she’s done to you I can no doubt use her handywork to track her location,” Alec opened his eyes (when had they shut in the first place?) and looked up to see Magnus holding the apple, which had immediately turned rotten after his bite, delicately between two long, painted nails.

“Magnus. What are you doing here?”

“I called him.” Izzy appeared front behind the lanky warlock, heels clicked as she came to kneel next to Jace. “You’re not looking so hot older brother. Best to be safe. And Magnus lives three blocks from here.”

“I’m fine – “ before Alec could finish his protest his gut gave another painful jump and he lurched over, leaning away from Jace and Izzy and painfully dry heaving. 

Almost immediately he felt Magnus’ magic washing over his body. It felt cool and refreshing, but it didn’t seem to be able to touch his still rebelling gut. His lips pulled back in pain as he gagged hard and harder, straining to bring up something, but there was nothing there. He hadn’t eaten in hours before that apple, and that had long since been purged from his stomach.

“Magnus, can’t you get it to stop?!” Distantly Alec heard Izzy’s worried cry and he reached out blindly to grab her hand. Once her soft hand with calluses that could only be caused by a whip was in his hand he gave it a reassuring squeeze, even as the first bit of blood slipped from his mouth.

“I can’t. Her spell is too powerful. But it will wear off in a couple of hours. All I can do until then is put him to sleep so that his body will stop trying to reject the spell.”

“No!” Alec lurched up at the warlock’s words. Panicked at the idea of being defenseless. Especially out in the field, across the city from the Institute. No it was too dangerous, he couldn’t do that to Izzy and Jace.

Alec hadn’t even realized how heavily he was breathing until two gloved hands grabbed either side of his face.

“Alec please. Relax. Let Magnus help you go to sleep. We’ll take a portal to just outside the Institute and sneak you in the back way. Nobody will know. But you can’t portal like this, you can’t even stand up.”

Alec panted, eyes struggling to focus on his parabatai’s multi-colored gaze, but his senses were slipping out of control. He let out an involuntary cry as another bout wracked his body, hands coming up to grab at Jace’s arm and squeezing.

“Please Alec, parabatai. Please let me do this. Trust me. Please.” 

Alec had never been able to say no when Jace used the full power of his charisma to get his way. Those unique eyes and pouty lips never failed to break Alec’s resolve, and his parabatai knew it.

Half-heartedly glaring at Jace for using his weakness against him Alec finally nodded, biting his lips in anxiety.

And then – it was black.

\-----------------------------------

Slowly feeling began to return to his body. First his toes, then up his legs, jumping to his fingers and up his arms before converging in his torso. Each muscle added a new layer to the ache that began to take over. 

Alec let out a muffled groan, hand moving to squeeze the bridge of his nose. When his fingers met with the fabric of a damp towel his memories came rushing in, the witch, the apple, Magnus, Jace…! 

He started to jolt up, letting the towel fall to floor with a flop, but his abs immediately protested, sending out sharp warning pains. He hissed, hand coming up to press into the offending muscles.

“Alec! Easy-“ Suddenly his vision was filled a black t-shirt and as he breathed in his nose was filled with the scent of metal and sweat. Relaxing as his parabatai lowered him back to the bed in what he now recognized as their bedroom Alec looked up in confusion. 

“What’s going on?”

“Sorry, I was hoping to be here when you woke up, but your towel was getting cold,” Jace sheepishly replied, picking up a new towel from where he must have dropped it on the bed in his rush to stop Alec from getting up. 

“”Don’t worry Magnus tracked the witch and we’ve sent out another team to collect her. They shouldn’t have an issue now that we’ve got a handle on her methods.” As he spoke Jace gently used the edge of the towel to brush Alec’s sweaty bangs off of his forehead, falling silent after his explanation. Alec sighed, half in relief that the witch’s situation was being handled and half in pleasure as he leaned into the relaxing feeling of the warm, damp towel wiping the cooling sweat off his forehead. 

For a moment neither man broke the silence, as Jace continued his gentle ministrations, tracing down Alec’s left cheek before moving over to the right. 

“How are you feeling? Magnus said it was safe to use an Iratze to heal up the remaining side effects once you woke up. After that you should be free of the witch’s effects.”  
Alec hesitated, cataloguing his body and trying to decide if easing the muscle aches was worth heightening Jace’s concern.

“Alec, come on. Here give me your arm,” rolling his eyes Jace reached out, pulling his stele out of his back pocket and swiftly tracing an Iratze across Alec’s bicep.  
“Thanks,” Alec intoned, humming in pleasure as the last of the pain disappeared. “You were right, I needed that.”

“Anytime,” as he spoke Jace made to stand up, but Alec reached out, wrapping a hand around the back of Jace’s neck to draw him back down onto the bed.

“No Jace, I’m serious. Thank you. For taking care of me in the alley. For staying with me last night. You have to know that I trust you. More then anyone. If I could entrust just one person with my life I’d choose you. Every time.”

Jace’s eyes softened and he smiled, palm curving gently against Alec’s cheek before he leaned. Their lips met. Softly at first, but growing in strength as their emotions became stronger. Their bond sang, emotions pinging off of one another and growing in strength with each breath.

Finally Jace broke away. Chuckling he ran a hand over Alec’s lips grinning when his parabatai’s attempted to catch his thumb between his lips. Months ago when they’d first started exploring a relationship beyond the brotherly Alec would’ve never had the confidence for such a move, but now he did it without a hint of nerves, confident in his own desires and in Jace’s reciprocal feelings.

But now was not the time.

“Magnus also said you should try eating something as soon as you can. Apparently healing is hard work and your body needs some fuel. Of course, the Institute’s kitchens are bit sparse in the middle of the night, so these were all I could find,” grinning Jace pulled two apples from the bedside table. He took a big bite out of one of them, savoring the flavor that burst across his tongue as he offered the other apple to his parabatai – 

Who promptly went a little green as he eyed the offensive fruit. “I’m never going to live that down am I?”

“And miss the opportunity to have my own Snow White? Never!”


End file.
